The Dravidian Social Justice Humbug Behind Govt Temple Control

It's not just about temples

Dear Reader,

Whenever there's talk of freeing temples from the clutches of government, one department that comes to light is the Tamil Nadu government's Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HRCE) department.

One must consider the department's control over temples in light of the Dravidian rhetoric of social justice.

"Away from the shrill rhetoric of Dravidian megaphones, in many rural areas of Tamil Nadu, Dalits still face discrimination and exclusion from small temples under HRCE, especially in village hinterlands," says K Balakumar.

Recent incidents highlight a troubling reality: despite laws guaranteeing equality, caste-based barriers persist in temple access.

From violent clashes in Kanyakumari to subtle exclusions near Madurai, Dalits face challenges when asserting their right to worship. Even when victories are achieved, they’re bittersweet. In one village, 'caste Hindus' built a separate temple after Dalits gained access to the original one.

So what have the Dravidian ecosystem and the HRCE actually achieved by controlling the temples?

Why does injustice fester under the Dravidian system that claims to champion social equity?

Is there a political advantage to controlling the temples while also deepening the fault lines and fostering divisions?

As much as it is about temples—it’s also about a larger social fabric and the unfulfilled promise of justice.

Read this piece by K Balakumar where he calls out the shrill but hollow social justice rhetoric of Dravidian leaders in the name of temple control — No Entry For Dalits: The Political Orchestration Of Temple Access In Tamil Nadu’s Dravidian Stronghold.

PS: This story is part of our special issue on the issue of government control of temples and how best to change it.

- Anmol N Jain